


Supermarkets, Serial Killers, and Sam Kassmeyer’s Luck

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Thicker than Water [40]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 15:05:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2433149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We’re not supposed to get into a car with a stranger.” Ashley said, not moving from her spot.  She looked Jessie up and down suspiciously.  “She could be a serial killer.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Supermarkets, Serial Killers, and Sam Kassmeyer’s Luck

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written in the **Thicker than Water** universe, where most of the BAU are kids and teens.

They walked out of the supermarket, Hotch turning when he heard someone call his name. It was just starting to drizzle and he didn’t have an umbrella. He was carrying most of the bags but he let Ashley have one. He knew she wanted to help just like when he took Spencer grocery shopping.

“Hi Mrs. Kassmeyer.” He smiled as Jessie smiled at him.

Hotch wasn’t a very smiley person, everyone knew that, but it was hard to dislike Jessie. She was really pretty, sweet, and nice to everyone she encountered. She didn’t work at the supermarket often but he saw her there once in a while. One time he accidentally caught her and Mr. Kassmeyer kissing in the storage room when he helped during his first closing. Hotch was mortified for intruding.

Jessie blushed profusely and Sam just grinned like the happiest man on earth. Happy couples still baffled and fascinated Hotch. He didn’t think anyone was happier than the Kassmeyers. Now she was pregnant so they must have been happier than ever. She looked the picture of sunny optimism in jean shorts and a pink v-neck tee shirt. Her unruly blonde curls were pulled back in a ponytail.

“How are you?” she asked.

“Fine, ma'am.”

“Oh, don’t call me that.” Jessie laughed, covering her eyes. “My mother is ma’am; I'm just Jessie. I know you were raised right though so Mrs. Kassmeyer is just fine. Looks like there's a storm coming; I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Thanks.”

“We’re not supposed to get into a car with a stranger.” Ashley said, not moving from her spot. She looked Jessie up and down suspiciously. “She could be a serial killer.”

“Mrs. Kassmeyer is not a serial killer.” Hotch tried not to sound as exasperated as he felt.

“I was watching TV the other night and there was this man on there and people thought he was all nice but he was a serial killer. He killed like 16 people and got away for like 20 years.”

“I'm gonna tell Jason you were watching that stuff.”

“I don’t care. I could be saving your life right now.”

“She’s not a serial killer!” Hotch exclaimed.

“It’s OK, Aaron.” Jessie smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder. Then she focused her attention on Ashley. “My name is Jessie Kassmeyer; I'm Mr. Kassmeyer’s wife. What's your name?”

“Ashley Seaver.”

“And how old are you, Ashley?”

“I'm seven and a half.”

“Wow, I remember seven and a half. I don’t know if I was as smart as you were at that age. That’s very good advice; never ever talk to strangers or get into their cars.”

“See?” Ashley stuck her tongue out at Hotch. “I told you.”

“Just get in the car, squirt.” Hotch replied as they walked over to the maroon Ford Taurus.

“Are you babysitting today?” Jessie asked. She was well aware of their unique family situation but Ashley was new to her.

“She’s my cousin.” Hotch said. He put his grocery bags in the backseat and made sure Ashley was in before closing the door. He sat in the front seat. “She was in North Dakota with family but moved here to live with us now.” he checked on her in the rearview mirror and Ashley gave him a small nod.

He could always come up with a story quick. Hotch didn’t like to think of himself as a liar. He’d just been telling stories for so long it came naturally. There were very few people who knew his whole, true story. It was better that way…for him and the people he cared about.

“How do you like DC, Ashley?” Jessie asked. She started the car, turning down Tom Petty on the radio.

“It’s nice. North Dakota sucks.”

“Ashley, don’t talk that way.” Hotch said.

“What? Have you ever been to North Dakota?” she asked. “Its true…I'm not telling a story.”

“She got you there, Aaron.” Jessie laughed.

“Still, there has to be a nicer way to say it.” he said. He didn’t want her embarrassing him in front of Jessie. It wasn’t that he had a crush on her; he wasn’t prepared to say that at all. He just didn’t want to be embarrassed.

“Well I like it here.” Ashley went on. “I like living with Jason and Emily; I even have a cat now.”

“I love cats. What's your cat’s name?”

“I'm not sure yet. It was Lucifer when I thought it was a boy but it’s a girl so I have to find a good girl name.”

“Well I wish you the best of luck with that.”

“Thanks.” Ashley smiled. Jessie was really nice. She reminded her of Lisa from the group home. She was the one person there who was always kind. Then someone killed her. Ashley hoped no one ever killed Jessie. That would be really sad. She almost said so but something in her mind told her it wasn’t the right thing to say.

Jessie pulled up in front of the house and stopped the car. She put it in park, cut the engine but left the blinkers on.

“Do you need some help getting into the house?” she asked.

“Oh no, we’re fine.” Hotch said. “You're pregnant and everything. I would feel horrible if you hurt yourself.”

“Thanks Hotch.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Kassmeyer. C'mon, squirt.”

Ashley grumbled a little at being called that as Hotch climbed out of the car. It was raining harder now and he saw JJ running down the street. When she saw him she came over to the car and helped with the bags. Ashley still had her one; she wanted to feel like she was helping. JJ grabbed two, poking her head into the car to see who was driving.

“Hey Jessie!”

Everyone seemed to have no trouble calling her by her first name except for Aaron and Jason. Spencer switched up, depending on how he was feeling at the moment, or how he perceived her…friend or authority figure. They all called Sam Mr. Kassmeyer. Her husband was a decade older than she was though.

“Hey Jennifer, how are you?”

“I'm cool. Whoa, are you pregnant?”

“Yes.” Jessie nodded and smiled.

“How does that feel?” JJ scrunched up her face.

“It feels nice. Strange sometimes but really nice.”

“Are you having a boy or a girl?” JJ asked.

“I'm actually going to wait and be surprised.” Jessie replied.

“But how will you know what kind of stuff to buy?”

“JJ, stop asking so many questions and get inside.” Hotch said. “It’s raining out here.”

“OK, OK. Bye Jessie!”

“Goodbye, Jennifer. It was nice to meet you Ashley.”

“Bye.” She waved and walked quickly behind JJ up onto the porch.

“Sorry about the interrogation.” Hotch closed the door. “Thanks so much for the ride.”

“No problem. See ya.”

Hotch waved, stepping up onto the curb. He knew she was the kind who didn’t drive off until he was in the house. Maybe she was just that way with kids but he respected that. So he walked quickly, since he was getting rained on, and made it into the house. He watched the Ford Taurus pull off down the street before walking back into the kitchen with his grocery bags. JJ was talking to Emily, who was sitting at the table.

“She’s preggers. Not big like a hot air balloon but definitely preggers. Go, Mr. Kassmeyer; I didn’t know he had it in him. But she’s so pretty and young…they probably have sex a lot.”

“JJ!” Emily suppressed a laugh and tried to be stern. “Not in front of Ashley.”

“What?” JJ gave her the innocent look.

Hotch mumbled hello and put the bags on the counter. Ashley rushed off to the den to look over her cat, who came home from the animal hospital on Wednesday. JJ asked if Hotch needed any help but he said no. That was fine with her; she was off to her room to change out of her wet clothes.

“Are you OK?” Emily asked.

He was fine when he and Ashley left for the store. Hotch usually liked to go by himself, he was almost 17 so didn’t have to work in the required buddy system Jason still insisted on for Penelope, Spencer, and now Ashley. But Ashley had been rather insistent. She never got to go anywhere, she complained, she was starting to feel trapped. Hotch was going to say no anyway but Emily asked him to let her tag along. She made Ashley promise not to be bothersome, and she did it on a whole stack of Bibles. Hotch relented.

“I'm fine. I told Mrs. Kassmeyer that Ashley was my cousin who’d come from North Dakota to live with us. You might need to know that in case anyone asks.”

“OK. Is Jessie really pregnant?”

“Mmm hmm. I don’t know how far along or anything but you can definitely tell. She looked very happy but she always looks happy so…”

“She and Mr. Kassmeyer are madly in love.” Emily replied.

“I wouldn’t know about those kinds of things.” Hotch opened the cabinets and started putting things away.

“You know how he looks whenever she's around. You caught them kissing in the store room.”

“They were practically making out.” Hotch said. “It was so embarrassing.”

“For them or for you?” Emily asked.

“For me…totally.”

“Was Ashley OK on the trip?”

“Sure, until she accused Mrs. Kassmeyer of being a serial killer.”

“What?”

“She said she saw it on TV. We better monitor more of what she's watching.”

The summer had been so busy. They were working, going to camp, playing sports, and hanging out with friends. Plus everyone was doing their best to make Ashley feel comfortable and at home. Dave was trying to get her registered in the local school; she’d been taking tests and doing activities to see where her levels were.

Emily would definitely take some time to see what Ashley was up to. She didn’t need to be watching anything about serial killers. Especially considering what Emily had read about the man who was probably her father. She wanted to make sure Ashley was safe, inside her head and outside.

“I will definitely be doing that.” Emily replied. “I'm gonna talk to her now.”

“Hey,” Hotch said as she got up from the table and headed into the den.

“Yeah?” Emily stopped.

“Don’t make it seem like I tattled on her. That wasn’t what I was doing.”

“I know.”

“Yeah, but she’s seven…she might not know.”

“I’ll make sure she does.” Emily said.

“OK.”

Emily went into the den and Hotch finished putting the groceries away. He heard thunder rumbling in the distance; it was going to be that kind of day.

***

  



End file.
